Page 102 of Sinful Lies

“Zara… What do you mean,if he’s falling in love with you.”

I screw my eyes shut, silently cursing myself for letting my emotions get the better of me.

“Zara.”

“I… I…” I swallow the lump in my throat as I consider what to tell her.

Bianca is my best friend in the entire world, and through it all, she has been by my side just like I have with her. She had the courage to tell me the truth about her and Alexei’s marriage, and she would be heartbroken to know that I’ve kept something like this from her.

So, I take a deep breath and let the whole truth come tumbling out because, right now, I need my best friend more than I need to keep this a secret.

Once I’m finished, Bianca is quiet for a moment, and my heart is pounding so hard in my chest I feel as if it might explode.

“Please say something.”

“You made a deal with Dimitri Koslov?”

“It’s too late to tell me what a dumb idea it was,” I remind her.

“I’m more confused about the fact that you’re both faking a relationship that to the outside looks pretty fucking believable. You’re not that good of an actress, Zara.”

“I know,” I groan, pinching the bridge of my nose between my thumb and forefinger. “That’s because I’m an idiot and have completely fallen for him.”

Bianca’s answering squeal on the end of the phone has me rolling my eyes.

“Stop that. This is not a good thing. I don’t even know if he feels the same or if it’s all just part of the act. That’s why I can’t bring myself to tell him about the baby. I don’t want to ruin what we have.”

“Are youblind? Dimitri is crazy about you. He has been since the first moment he saw you.”

“I don’tknow…”

“Even Alexei has noticed a change in Dimitri ever since you announced your engagement. I mean, he refused to go on this work trip to Russia because he didn’t want to leave you while you were feeling sick.”

I blink in surprise.

“Really?” I can’t fight the smile that tugs at my lips at the thought of Dimitri being so sweet.

“Really. He’s turned into a massive softy.” Bianca chuckles.

My heart swells at the thought that it might not all be in my head, that Dimitri might be falling just as hard for me as I am for him.

“I wish you had told me the truth. I hate that you’ve been worrying about this on your own, and now with a baby…”

I shake my head at myself. “I almost did so many times. But I couldn’t risk Alexei finding out. If he knew that Dimitri married me just to get out of this deal with Massimo…”

“We would be planning a funeral right about now.”

“I’m so sorry, B.”

“Don’t be. I mean, this kind of makes us even right?”

“Well, you never actually told me you were getting married…”

“Maybe because I didn’t know it myself, but I guess that’s an insignificant detail.”

I chuckle under my breath.

“I’m glad you told me about all of it.”

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